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Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Sometimes being a black person in America is unnecessarily hard. We are viewed differently, judged differently, and treated differently. It is something a black person must face, and in many cases, overcome daily. At work, at school, and in other public places, black people are under surveillance. Sometimes it is just to see what we will do in certain situations. Other times it is to exclude us from certain activities. Either way it makes black life misunderstood, especially when the spotlight is so bright we become aware of it.

Some who read this will not understand. If you think we as a people have made it; this is false. Sure, some of us have “made it”, but many of us have not. You might be wondering how this could be. Barack Obama was President. Jay-Z and Beyonce are billionaires. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. These are all great accomplishments indeed. But what do these accomplishments mean for millions of black people on their daily grind. Their success does not translate to our lives when we are being watched and judged while doing our daily activities. We are misunderstood even more thanks to today’s view of black people.

I believe today’s society uses black people of wealth and prestige as the measuring stick for the rest of us. Naturally there is an element of “if they can do it, so can you”, which is built in to following successful black people. This is not what I am talking about. Instead I am referring to people of different races who use our celebrities as the examples of what black life is like. If you think the Real Housewives of Atlanta are the real housewives of Atlanta, then you have not been to Atlanta (or Detroit, or St. Louis, or Philadelphia). The real housewives of Atlanta work at jobs, take care of home, raise families, and serve as the backbone of our communities. Any other explanation is of black women faulty at best.

This is a stark reversal of a phenomenon that happened to black people in the past (and still happens today). Back then, society used examples of unsuccessful black people or even criminals, as a measuring stick for all of us. All you had to do was see a black person doing the wrong thing, and then that black person’s sins were carried by all of us. Even worse, their behavior convinced many people that we all behave like that. We are all criminals by nature, unintelligent, lazy, and hostile. If you did not live up to these stereotypes, you were the exception, not the rule. Millions of black people chase the American Dream every day and do it the right way, yet the incorrect actions of a few black people defined our lives and culture?

So here we are in 2018 and we are misunderstood.

Some people view ultra-successful black people as their idea of who we are or what we could be if we try.

Or…

Some people view unsuccessful black people as who we really are and how we really act all the time.

Either way, we are put into a box that is difficult for the many black people to escape. The by-product of this is when tend to live up these ideas. Some of us want to live like our celebrities, so they spend and consume as if they already do. Others can’t live like them, they resort to activities that will lead to money and fame that brings celebrity status. Meanwhile, the hard-working black man, and the hard-working black woman are misunderstood daily. We are the bedrock upon which our culture and experiences are built. We deserve a little understanding.

To all my people who are trying to make ends meet, making ends meet, or struggling to make ends meet, I am with you all the way. Do not let society’s misunderstanding who we are and what we do define you. Instead, hold your head high, find like-minded individuals, and work together to build better lives. It’s the only way we will continue to grow, while facing the challenges of being misunderstood.

Analysts, pundits, and even voters have questioned how the political rise of Donald Trump happened so quickly. There are several narratives to explain Trump’s ascent to the Presidency. He is an outsider without “ties” to Washington. He is not a politician. He is a job creator. While each of these statements is true to some degree, I believe there is a different reason for Trump. To me, it’s obvious: the main reason why Donald Trump is now the President of the United States is because a lot of people wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible.

A lot of people cast their vote , in large part because they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible.

A lot of people can see our demographics changing, so they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible.

A lot of people desire to “Make America Great Again,” so they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible.

Opponents and critics intentionally presented doom and gloom scenarios about a Barack Hussein Obama Presidency to scare people. Even though many of the doomsday scenarios the Obama Presidency was sure to bring never occurred, people were scared. Even as the Obama Presidency came to end, people were still scared. Even in the post-Obama era, people will be scared going forward. They needed someone to alleviate their fears. They chose Donald Trump. They wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible.

One thing about the transition of power from Barack Hussein Obama to Donald Trump is many people chose to vote against their own interests because they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible. Let’s apply some logic by using a couple examples. To be clear, not all voters use one criterion to determine their vote. Also, not all people in deep-red states blindly vote Republican. Nevertheless, the examples that follow are worth consideration.

If Obama was the “Food Stamp President” and voting for Hillary Clinton was an extension of his policies, then why would deep-red states vote Republican? Take Mississippi for example. In 2015, Mississippi ranked first in the percentage of residents on food stamps (21.7%), and had over 650,000 total recipients. Although this is not the only reason to cast a vote, if I was a food stamp recipient in Mississippi I would strongly consider voting for any Democrat, especially the “Food Stamp President” (similar food stamp statistics also exist in deep-red states like Tennessee, Louisiana, and West Virginia to name a few).

Sure, this is only one example of people potentially voting against their interests because they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible. Another example is healthcare. As we all know, the controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been tremendous. Republicans have held numerous unsuccessful votes to repeal Obamacare. Now that Donald Trump is in Office, the race to repeal Obamacare has picked up even more steam. Yet voters in deep-red states have enrolled in and benefit from Obamacare, so repeal would cause them to lose, or at least change, their healthcare options. Keep in mind that a lot of these people were uninsured before Obamacare.

A list of Obamacare enrollments in some deep-red states as of January 17, 2017:

Alabama: 178,414

Georgia: 493,880

South Carolina: 230,211

Tennessee: 234,125

Texas: 1,227,290

To be clear, this does not mean all of the Obamacare enrollees voted Republican, but you can be sure some of them did. It also does not mean those who voted against this interest would have turned the result of the election in each particular state from Republican to Democrat. Yet it does show that people in deep-red states, who have been “told” how bad Obamacare is, still benefit from the law. If I was an Obamacare enrollee in Tennessee I would strongly consider voting for any Democrat, because their party introduced Obamacare.

These are not the only examples of people potentially voting against their interests because they wanted the “Presidential Pendulum” to swing as far away from Barack Hussein Obama as possible. If you want more, look for thing like “Obama Deporter-in-Chief”, Obama phones, and Obama and The Dodd-Frank Act as three additional reasons why deep red state Republican voters could have leaned Democrat instead of voting against their self-interests. Careful review of these, and many other examples, leads me to believe that there was a reason for the vitriol against Barack Hussein Obama and the love for Donald Trump (not to mention the hatred for Hillary Clinton).

For me it’s obvious:

They wanted to slow the demographic shift of the United States, so they voted against their own interests.

NOTE: this excerpt was written in 2012, when I encouraged all people to get involved in the political process. It was an attempt to get people to wake up, and learn about the ways politics affect our daily lives. Today, the idea that people should pay closer attention to politics is more important than ever. As a country, we need to read and educate ourselves every day to join the political debate…

Now that we have an African-American President, there really is no excuse for black people to doubt the validity of the political process. The system still has subtle inequalities and injustices here and there, but for the most part we can believe that it works. We can believe that our votes are counted and they have meaning. We can believe that our voices, so often ignored in the past, have been heard. Now there is no excuse why we should not be more involved in politics, and issues that shape our communities, and nation as a whole.

How many ways are there for African Americans to contribute to the political process? We can start by voting. Barack Obama’s candidacy energized a new generation of voters while reawakening so many disenchanted ones. Let’s face it: many blacks were turned off by politics until Barack Obama came along. As a result, our voter turnout results were among the lowest of any race people until 2008. This is a trend that can continue if we ride the political wave that we are currently on.

We cannot forget the sacrifices that our predecessors made so that we can vote today. By voting, we can validate their efforts and the hardships they endured for future generations of African Americans like us. Until recently, our heroes such as Fannie Lou Hamer and Frederick Douglass would have been disappointed in us because of our spotty voting history. However, this disappointment would undoubtedly be turned into pride now that we voted en masse and helped to elect our current leader. In the future, we must continue to honor the legacies of those who paved the way for us to vote today by filling the ballot box.

African Americans can join in the political process by remaining aware of the decisions made on the local level. The decisions made by our city councils have long-lasting impacts on the issues currently affecting our lives. For example, I spoke in this book about the amount of bars and liquor stores in my old neighborhood. It takes licensing and zoning laws to operate businesses, so how can we have so many operating in a given area? The answer is because it is legal and allowed to happen. What can we do to change this?

We can start by getting involved by letting our local elected officials know that this is not acceptable. One thing we can do is voice our displeasure so that more of these places are not allowed to open in our communities. Take this action a step further. If we are not satisfied with our local representatives, we can email, call, or visit them! After all, they work for us and we can vote them out. Our strength lies in the fact that they are aware of this. So, if enough African Americans in Jersey City, NJ choose to complain about the establishments in our neighborhoods, changes would surely follow.

Moving on, education must become a part of the debate when joining the political process. Our schools do not place enough emphasis on the workings of government; therefore, we are left out of the loop when it comes to political matters. We can easily overcome this by using a very powerful tool at our disposal: the computer. With the advent of the computer, there is no excuse for a lack of knowledge in today’s society! We can learn about politics, the legal system, and policy formulation all by accessing the internet. As a result, we can be better prepared to join the political debate.

Increasing our knowledge base would lead to more African Americans who can become involved in the political process as candidates. A great way to influence and direct change in our communities is to elect our own officials. Our elected officials are vital to our agenda of better education, better and safer schools, and cleaner communities just by their presence alone. Their voice in government is better than having no representation at all. Therefore, we need to be sure that we are raising our next generation of politicians who will shape the future of African Americans.

This influx of talented minds would help to close the gap of a lack of African Americans on the national political scene as well. We are not visible enough in national politics. An illustration of this point is from studies of the Sunday early morning and daily cable news political shows and roundtable discussions. These are the best opportunities for elected officials to join the national political debate in front of millions of interested viewers. The studies paint an interesting picture.

I am one who hates to use statistics, because statistics can be analyzed from many different viewpoints. However, the following statistics about the lack of African-American viewpoints cannot be denied. For example, during a 16-month study on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, only 1 out of every 10 political figures invited was African-American. In fact, 60% of these shows had no black guests at all during the study. As a final thought, 69% of all African-American appearances were made by only three people: Juan Williams (author and FOX News correspondent), and former Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

This lack of representation points to the fact that our underrepresentation must be challenged and improved. Even if these political figures could push an agenda favorable to African Americans, how much impact could they really have on today’s political discussions? Therefore, we need more African Americans in politics to keep issues that affect us on the table.

There is one last point to be made about today’s political landscape. This is a reminder to our people, as well as our politicians, not to get caught up in the typical gridlock in our politics thanks in large part to political affiliations. It shouldn’t matter that Barack Obama is a Democrat. Nor should it matter that JC Watts is a Republican. It should not matter to us that Al Sharpton attracts negative publicity. Nor should it matter that Clarence Thomas possesses conservative views. They are all African-American political leaders that we can learn a lot from if we are open to joining the political debate. Their ideals can help us become more interested and educated about the political process.

The Presidency of Barack Obama was historic for so many reasons. The most obvious is that he was the first African-American to serve as President of the United States. As a black man, I gushed with pride knowing that the ultimate glass ceiling, the office of the President, has been shattered by Barack Obama. Now young black males can look to the example of Barack Obama and dream of one day becoming the second African-American President of the United States. If you do not understand the importance of this, I suggest you think about it and try to find some empathy to comprehend the magnitude of this achievement.

Of course, the Presidency of Barack Obama had to come with a price. The price was the typical back-and-forth debates that happen constantly in Washington. Members of both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, play a significant role in these occurrences. Both political parties would like to limit the power of success of the other, all in an attempt to push their agenda through. It was under this backdrop that Barack Obama took office eight years ago. Naturally, he would be subject to the political wrangling and scrutiny that all Presidents must face while in office. However, upon careful review, I am one person who wonders if the scrutiny President Obama faced was typical, or greater than previous Presidents.

(…if you lean Republican, have conservative ideologies, or possess another motive not to be discussed here, I hope that you continue reading anyway. I am sure that your natural tendency is to immediately dismiss the premise I am about to present. I will give you that. However, I will not give you the right to discharge my point-of-view without at least trying to understand it. Without trying to frame his Presidency within the historical terms of black people in America, It will be difficult for you to accept what I will say next, nor agree with it at all. I only ask that you proceed and make an honest attempt at gaining some understanding…)

Post-election, was there a concerted effort to tear down Barack Obama, his Presidency, and the legacy he would leave behind? Let’s tart from the beginning and see where we go. It is known and proven that leaders of the Republican Party met behind closed doors immediately after the first election of Barack Obama. Their mission was laid out. They would obstruct President Obama at every turn, as well as try to render him a one-term President. I suppose this is normal and a method both Republicans and Democrats use once the other party wins the Presidency. However, was this the first time such a meeting was confirmed to have taken place?

I could be wrong (and feel free to provide facts that will do so), but I have followed American politics closely since the 2000 Bush vs. Gore election fight. I do not recall immediate opposition to President Bush, or at least not a backdoor meeting that went public. Nevertheless, the stage was set for opposition and obstruction of President-elect Obama. This is undeniable.

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency from day one? How am I, given all of the obstruction black people have faced in America, supposed to feel when I know there are member of our own Government dead-set against this President?

Let’s fast forward to how many times during both of his terms that Barack Obama was “delegitimized” as President. In other words, how many times did his critics act as if he never won, or should have won the Presidency twice? Obama has been called weak at foreign policy, yet a dictator over us about domestic affairs. He has been questioned about his use of executive actions, when he has done this fewer times than his predecessors. He has even been about his vacation time, even though he was away from Washington fewer days than other recent Presidents. Again, these things are always things a President, regardless of political party get scrutinized for doing. But it seems to me Obama got a little more backlash than other Presidents…

I could go on and on with example after example of attempts to delegitimize the Presidency of Barack Obama.

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency while he is in office? All of these slights play out in the public eye, so the world saw and paid attention to these things. Not only that, but people of all races, supporters and non-supporters, friends and foes, also saw the treatment President Obama received. None of these things should have ever happened to the President of the United States. Personally, I do not care who is in office, Democrat or Republican. There is a level of dignity and respect owed to the President at all times.

So what was I to say as I witnesses outward expressions of “hostility” toward the first African-American President? How was I supposed to feel, as a black man, as people tried to tear down President Obama? Please provide me with tangible evidence that warranted this “hostility” as proof that his Presidency was such a disaster. In the meantime, I will share this…

For the record, Obama did not vow to stay in office after 2016 (if Trump won)…

All of these “stories” were either outright lies, or distortions of the truth to make some people fear the first African-American President even more. What makes this sad is the people responsible for the untruths knew they were lies, yet they told these stories anyway. Their goal was to play of the fears of people who are uneducated about civics and the functions of government. It worked! Yet Obama continued to serve as the President of the United States with dignity and class.

Let’s fast forward to the election of 2016. Even though most economic numbers have improved dramatically during his Presidency, this election turned into an indictment to some degree of Barack Obama. As a result, we saw the rise of Donald Trump and his appeal to those who rejected Barack Obama from the start. President-elect Trump rode this wave all the way to the White House. Of course, he used his platform to bash the President and claim how much he has failed after eight years in office. While this is normal during an election season, who can explain why this happened while the President’s approval numbers are at their highest point right now?

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency as his time in office comes to an end? Given the treatment of so many of my ancestors (and myself and countless other African-Americans), this feels like the ultimate slap in the face. I understand the nature of politics and the desire to downgrade members of a different political party, but really? President Obama’s successes and failures will be scrutinized objectively by Presidential scholars. This treatment is to come later. Right now, to me it feels as if someone is ready to finish the job of tearing down Barack Obama, once and for all.

A wise man posted this on social media back on November 7, 2016, one day before the 2016 election…

An even wiser man (Van Jones) made a compelling statement concerning the treatment of Barack Obama, especially as a result of the brilliant victory of President-elect Trump. Van Jones could not have said it any better. To paraphrase his comments, he called the victory of Donald Trump (in part) a “whitelash” against President Obama and the demographic shift occurring in the United States. Once again, to fully understand his (and my) point-of-view, you should take into consideration the treatment of black people in America. What are we supposed to tell our children?

As a final thought, I say we should just let this play out. If you are concerned or need to find additional evidence, please stay tunes and watch how soon the attempts to erase President Obama from history start to occur. Remember that you read about it here “first”. Let’s see, repealing ObamaCare, whether you like it or not, is already the first of Obama’s accomplishments in the crosshairs of the new Congress as soon as Donald Trump takes office? What will be next? I am sure it will not take along before we see several additional attempts to tear down Barack Obama. Who will finish the job of erasing the legacy of Barack Obama? Time will tell…

Let me start by saying if this breaks down along racial lines, so be it. Although that is not the intention here per se, it is an undeniable by-product of extolling the virtues of America’s first black President. So let me be very clear, this is directed primarily at critics of Barack Obama who refuse to give him credit for anything. To them, no accomplishment of Barack Obama real or imagined is noteworthy. It is also directed at critics of black people in general, and the stereotypes that too many people use to define us. I have a question for those people: can you put your politics aside and give credit to Barack Obama?

President Barack Obama is the ultimate stereotype breaker, and perhaps that is one of the reasons why his critics levy so much criticism upon him. I will say it: if some people can’t at least respect this black man, will they ever respect any black man? His public and “private” persona is impeccable. His demeanor, even in the most challenging times and difficult situations, is flawless. His delivery is always timely. I call it The Presidential Effect. Believe me, it is real and (to the best of my knowledge) authentic. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

So how does President Obama shatter so many stereotypes? Even more important, why should he get credit for doing so? I think first identifying SOME of the stereotypes assigned to black men should help even the most ardent critics of Barack Obama recognize these falsehoods exist. Then, they would at least see how he goes against each of these beliefs. Finally, perhaps some critics of the President can at least put their politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama. It is worth a shot…

US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha board Air Force One at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on November 7, 2012. Obama returns to Washington on Wednesday emboldened by his re-election but facing the daunting task of breaking down partisan gridlock in a bitterly divided Congress. Obama told Americans “the best is yet to come” after defying dark economic omens to handily defeat Mitt Romney, but his in-tray is already overflowing with unfulfilled first term wishes thwarted by blanket Republican opposition. AFP PHOTO/Jewel Samad (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Stereotype #1: The black father is absent from the home.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of countless black fathers who are leading their families to the best of our ability. We provide guidance and structure to our families. We work hard to earn a living and ensure the well-being of those who look to us to support. In the President’s case, just look at Michelle Obama, their daughters, and even the support given to his mother-in-law as an indicating that Barack Obama has always taken care of home. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

Stereotype #2: The black man is prone to violence and crime.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of countless black men who have never been involved in violence or crime. We do not have an arrest record, nor do we have the inclination to get one. We know that the best way to live is to follow the law. If the law does not work in our favor, then the course of action is to oppose, but not break said law. In the President’s case, any arrest record or criminality would disqualify him from office and betray the public’s trust. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

Stereotype#3: Black people are less likely to be educated, or unwilling to be educated.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of many black men who hold college degrees from schools across the nation. To dispel another myth, these degrees were earned based upon merit, not a handout of affirmative action. We have a desire to get a quality education, and see our family members do the same. In the President’s case, his Harvard Law Degree should be all you need to hear to say he believes in the value of education. Couple that with Michelle Obama’s degrees from Princeton and Harvard Law School, and there should be no reason to doubt the Obama’s commitment to education. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

The sad part is the fact that I even feel the need to write this piece. Examples of black men who are doing the right thing abound in our society. Yet, far too often we do not receive the credit we deserve. It is true: we are doing what is expected of us, so why should we get credit for that? My answer is simple: I do not believe black men get much, if any credit for anything! The only way to convince some people to comprehend is to use the example of the most powerful, and admired man in the world IN HOPES that they would understand.

In 850 words, I have provided three admirable qualities of Barack Obama, Unfortunately, these three and many other positive qualities are seldom used to describe millions of black men like Barack Obama. We understand the magnitude of his success and stereotype- shattering significance of his Presidency. Do you?

So I will ask again, can you put your politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

African-American novelist and playwright James Baldwin said it best: “To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.”

The only way to appreciate this famous quote by James Baldwin is to listen and learn. If you are truly interested, you should try to see how it plays into my daily activities, and how it leads to the state of rage Baldwin speaks about. At least I can control it; many cannot. What is this rage? It refers to the constant and endless bombardment of the outside world telling us that we are inferior just because of the color of our skin. It is also because we are repeatedly told we should just get over “it.” We have no right to feel the way we do about injustices against us, both real and imagined, even though they continue to happen right before our eyes.

We recently heard stories that John Ehrlichman, former aide to then President Nixon, said that the war on drugs was really an affront to go after black people and anti-war protestors. This is a damning revelation, but are we really surprised about it? While this admission is really old news, it both confirms and reinforces the stories of countless African-Americans who believe the “system” is rigged against us. It is simply confirmation that we didn’t need. It is one of many reasons for my rage.

Why am I in a rage almost all the time?

The Oscars celebrate the best work in films and entertainment, but not one of the major categories has a single black nominee…

Being totally honest, I shed quite a few tears when President Obama gave his victory speech on election night. I thought of all of the black people who fought, cried, survived, and died so that I could see that moment. Personally, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Wow! Anything and everything really is possible. Then, just moments after the President-elect, his running mate and their families left the stage, the weight of his victory crashed down upon me. I felt the burden of helping to improve Black America again.

I realized the importance of finishing this book to do my part. The bottom line is: Barack Obama did his part; our ancestors did their part.

When are we, and I mean each and every one of us, going to do our part? When are we going to clean up our neighborhoods? When are we going to educate our children? When are we going to encourage and support each other?

The amazing thing about President Barack and Michelle Obama is that they embody exactly what is in this book. Starting from the beginning, they know OUR STORY, in part because of Barack Obama’s diverse past and experiences. They know the importance of EDUCATION for themselves and their children. Their lives prove that they are SELF-MOTIVATED, and they will do what it takes to remain successful. They are both interested in SELF IMPROVEMENT; their pursuit of higher education demonstrates this fact. They are both outstanding COMMUNICATORS who can relate to people from all walks of life.

They SUPPORT each other and their children constantly. They have learned important LESSONS that they put into daily practice. Their FAMILY is the model that all families should strive to be. They are conscious of their FINANCES and know how it feels to survive off a little until blessed with more. Their lives have included providing SERVICE to others. They have always been ardent supporters of their COMMUNITY, long before President Obama’s days as a community organizer. Finally, they have been called to lead our SOCIETY into a better future. As I said before, they are doing their part and living up to the ideals in this book. The question is: can you also live up to these ideals Black America?

This is why, his life, as well as the life of our wonderful First Lady Michelle Obama, must become THE example of how we should live our lives as African Americans. We must be college educated. We must find the best mate possible and build our families. We must work for a living to support our families. We must volunteer in our communities. We must raise our children in two-parent households. We must totally support the dreams and goals of our companions. We must provide the best educational opportunities for our children. We must support our parents as they become older. We must grow, thrive, and prosper as African Americans.

So the challenge, whether or not history tells us that Barack Obama was a great President or an awful one, is to wake up and contribute to fixing the problems of the black community, while strengthening the numerous positive aspects that we already possess. In this process, we will be building our society as a whole. There are no more excuses. There is no longer a “need” to wait for someone else to do it for us. We must make sure that we tell our children that anything and everything is possible, regardless of our race, gender, economic situation, education, or perceived disadvantages that may, or may not exist.

As a final thought, we MUST UNDERSTAND that it will take education, hard work, sacrifice, diligence, love, creativity, passion, desire, inspiration, motivation, networking, understanding, enthusiasm, wisdom, planning, risk taking, dreaming, goal setting, writing, reading, and intelligence to be successful. This is why Barack Obama has been successful. This is how we all can be successful too. This is how our children can be successful. The time is RIGHT NOW!